How To: De-Clutter the Family Car

By

Neil Parmar

Jan 1, 2013 3:15 pm ET

Americans average more than an hour a day in their cars, with many using their vehicles as a rolling, multipurpose command center: part kitchen table, part home office and part family entertainment space.

While more vehicles are brimming with sophisticated bells and whistles like voice controls and self-parking technology, critics say it is still tough to find basic, built-in storage for personal essentials like cellphones and purses—much less all the detritus of a busy family life.

And car-safety experts say that an unsecured Gameboy or stray flashlight, for example, can slide under the driver’s foot or become a dangerous projectile during sudden braking.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.